Salonga National Park
Salonga National Park is a UNESCO world heritage site located near Congo River basin and named as Africa’s largest tropical rainforest reserve covering an area of about 36,000 square kilometers that extends into the provinces of Mai Ndombe, Equateur and Sankuru. Despite the park become a UNESCO World Heritage list in 1984 basically to protect relatively intact rainforest and its useful habitat for many rare species. However, in 1999 the site was listed as endangered due to poaching and housing construction.
Geographically, Salonga national park lies in an area of tropical rainforest about halfway between Kinshasa the capital and Kisangani. Note no roads there but can be accessed only by river – Lokoro river which flows through the center and northern side of the park and the Lula river flows in the south. To the southern region it is inhabited by the local people named ‘’Lyaelima people’’ . Generally, Salonga River runs northwest direction through the Salonga National Park to its influence with the River Busira.
In general, Salonga National Park began as the Tshuapa National Park in 1956 and gained its present boundaries with a 1970 presidential remarks. More so, the park is co-managed by the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature and the World Wide Fund for Nature since 2015.
Salonga National Park boosts with biodiversity of wildlife species including; Bongo antelopes, black-crested mangabey, leopards, bonobos, forest elephants, Thollon’s red colobus, long –tailed pangolin, hippopotamus, African golden cat, yellow-backed duiker, sitatunga, Okapi, bushbuck, water Chevrotain and forest buffalo, tree pangolin, Angolan slender mongoose, aquatic genet, sitatunga among others. In spite the fact, the park is also home to various notable bird species including the black stork, yellow- billed stork, Congo peafowl, cattle egret, grant parrot, palm but vulture among others.
Unfortunately, poaching and civil war have led to the park’s decline, however, Salonga National Park today has regained its natural state and has been divided into six sectors and each sector offers a ranger station and patrol posts. Some of the parts of the park are completely virgin thus hardening to be accessed by man. More to that, it is said to be having 40% of the world’s Bonobo population.
Things to do in Salonga National Park;
Here are fantastic safari activities which can be adventured by the tourist on their visit to the Salonga National Park including Wildlife viewing, bird watching, fishing, hunting, cultural experience, guided nature walks among others.
Wildlife Viewing
This is the most done activity in Salonga National Park because it harbors diversity of wildlife species of which some are endemic to this area or Congo basin animals to see ;Dwarf chimpanzees ,golden cat ,giant ground pangolin ,Congo water civet ,Angolan mongoose ,pygmy cape Buffalo ,bonobo ,dwarf crocodiles ,Sitatunga, wolf monkey ,Red river hog , Side stripped Jackal ,golden bellied Mangabey, Red colobus monkey , pottos monkey ,mono monkey ,black colobus monkeys ,Allen’s swamp monkey , white rhinoceros ,thollon’s red colobus ,dwarf bush baby many more.
Bird watching
Bird watching is also an interesting activity at the Salonga National park home to over 300 bird species recorded and half of the birds here are residents some to see includes; grey parrot, palm vulture, black bellied bustard. Congo peacock, black stork, cattle egrets many more.
Fishing
This is also an amazing experience at the park which can be done in park’s rivers. So travelers are recommended to carry with their fishing gears for the activity however, over 400 fish species can be caught here.
Cultural encounter
The park is surrounded by the native people of the lyalima people who have beautiful ways of life that makes the culture worth visiting and interacting with.
Getting there; Salonga National Park lies just 100 kilometers from South of Boende in Between Kisangani and Kinshasa. The park can be accessed by domestic flight from Monkoto, Anga and Mundja airstrips that fly direct to the park.
Best time to visit the park; Fortunately, most of the time is park is wet but the best time you can visit and face less with rain starts from June to August and the vegetation is not very thick thus offering gainful views of wildlife.
Accommodation; Salonga National Park ranges with great choice of luxurious and bandas, budget as well as comfortable tents.
Travelers to Congo tours can combine their safari with visit to Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park home to critically endangered mountain gorillas and several mammal and small primate’s species. Combining your tour package with visit to Uganda, you will never regret as you will be able to meet up with our closest cousins we share 98% DNA ‘’ endangered mountain gorillas’’ which can be encountered through gorilla trekking. Uganda gorilla trekking experience goes at USD700 per person per day.
